I am incredibly stubborn. Stubborn has a negative connotation, and dedicated or persistent probably has a better sound to it, but those words are softer, gentler, almost wavering. I believe strongly and whole-heartedly in the power of medicine; the power of good and compassionate healthcare. When I do something, I do it with my whole heart and soul; there is nothing soft or gentle about my commitment to doing what I love; there is nothing wavering about my passion for caring. In addition to working full time hours at Bay Shore Brightwaters Rescue Ambulance, Community Ambulance Company, and Central Islip Hauppauge Ambulance Company, I have dedicated over 2,500 hours to Exchange Ambulance of the Islips as a volunteer since 2022; my senior year of high school when I got my EMT card and joined as a member. Close to that many hours have been spent here, attempting to articulate my love for medicine before you to read today; an effort I have ultimately deemed futile, as I find it near impossible to express the true passion I have for true and just medicine. When I was in high school I knew everything. I knew exactly how my life was going to go; I had it meticulously planned out. Growing up I wanted to be a teacher, then a lawyer, but by senior year I had made up my mind; I was moving away to school and getting my Bachelors in Nursing at Clemson University. End of discussion. Well, I took a couple detours, turns out I didn't know everything. I wanted to do medicine, and I wanted to do it in a way that mattered. So, I started applying to paramedic programs, I moved back home, and I worked hard. For the first time in my life I felt like I was using my knowledge, my skills, my experiences, to truly make an impact. Running on no sleep, driven by copious amounts of caffeine, and desire to make an impact, New York State now knows me as Joyce Johnson, EMT-P, 499912. I could say it’s just a title, and frankly it simply is, the words and numbers amount to nothing on their own. However, truthfully it serves to signify my hard work and dedication, a continuation on a path of service that precedes me, and a path that will continue long after me. I am a third generation prehospital care provider, a third generation volunteer, a third generation Johnson, dedicating a life of service to the Islip community. Islip has been my home my entire life, it has been a community for my uncles, father, and grandfather who dedicated their lives to Islip Fire Department, and both of my parents who met volunteering at Exchange Ambulance over 30 years ago. I fought my entire life trying to be different from my parents, I wanted to do anything but medicine. Yet, after 21 years, I continue the path of service, not out of obligation, ease, or legacy, but out of deep love and passion. The continuation on my path of service, the immersion in the world of healthcare, the hard-work, the dedication, the true conviction and care for helping others is the end goal. Prehospital care is my passion, and through that I have found new love and appreciation for all facets of medicine, new curiosities and desire for more knowledge. The past three years have led me to this point, and my journey is far from over. I am currently enrolled at Suffolk County Community College in the Registered Nursing program, furthering my knowledge and depths of care. I aspire to one day pursue a graduate degree in advanced nursing practice, caring for patients in a dynamic and ever-expanding critical care setting. I am forever grateful for my strong foundations I have built in pre-hospital care, and intend to facilitate my constant growth as a provider, gaining knowledge and experience, while helping advance the field of medicine as I go. I write this with the hope to be afforded the opportunity to continue my journey in the world of healthcare with my full heart and soul, bestowing whatever help and knowledge I can onto each of my patients, and all of my colleagues to the best of my ability. People call upon healthcare professionals to help them in their most vulnerable and lowest state; I want to be there to answer those calls, to help them to the absolute best of my ability in their time of need.